Electrochromatic substances are used in conventional vehicle mirrors. Therein, the inscription is imprinted or produced by local removal of the front mirror coating. Liquid crystals have heretofore been used in displays in a vehicle. Inscriptions and markings are typically created therein by imprinting on the carrier. These imprints are clearly recognizable in daylight, however, when the mirror darkens due to increased light action, this recognizability suffers. A vehicle mirror having a liquid crystal cell is known, for example, from DE 10 2013 203 531 B3.
In the case of an LC cell which is embedded in the structure of a vehicle mirror, such a solution can only be applied to the carrier, however, but not to the cell itself, because it is soft and can be damaged upon imprinting. One solution for an LC cell can therefore also be the removal of the rearmost reflector layer. The light thus cannot be reflected on the reflector and is visible at the surface of the mirror. This would function at least for normal operation. However, this is problematic if there are also regions on the mirror which are to be illuminated. Since a light-emitting diode is attached behind the reflector layer for this purpose, the light of the LED then appears not only on the intended region, but rather scattered light can also illuminate the originally dark marking. However, this is an undesired optical effect, so that the removal of the reflector is not an optimum solution.
A liquid crystal display having a scale inscription is known from JP S62-99 724 A, which is continuously bright independently of an electrical voltage at the display electrodes. It is implemented by local absence of the alignment layers.
A method for removing alignment layers in liquid crystal cells is known from JP H11-183 927 A.